Dissertation Research: Quantifying Stopover Habitat use by Forest Dwelling Migratory Landbirds using Doppler Radar

大型栖息地对鸟类在迁徙过程中至关重要，但几乎没有受到保护和研究的关注。这项研究项目调查了中途停留栖息地的分布对候鸟密度模式的影响的空间尺度。将使用一个国家多普勒监测雷达网络来估计鸟类密度，并检查大陆、区域和景观尺度内的栖息地-候鸟关联。利用层次分析，在一个尺度上观察到的移民密度变化模式将允许对相邻尺度上的模式进行可验证的预测。实地雷达研究将被用来联系高空鸟类密度和这些鸟类返回的雷达回波的数量。这种层次化的方法可以为确定候鸟保护区提供适当的规模基础。

0073114LarkinHabitat critical to birds during migration has received little conservation and research attention. This research project investigates the spatial scales at which the distribution of stopover habitat influences patterns of migrating bird density. A national network of Doppler surveillance radar will be used to estimate bird density and examine habitat-migrant associations within continental, regional, and landscape scales. Using hierarchical analysis, patterns of variation in migrant density observed at one scale will allow verifiable predictions about patterns at adjacent scales. Field radar studies will be used to relate bird density aloft and the amount of radar echo returned by those birds. This hierarchical approach can provide an appropriately scaled basis for identifying conservation areas for migratory birds.